Exaggeration

Animation in most respects is much more like theatre than film. The subtleties of the human condition, although achievable using animation, are not as easily represented by animation as they are by film. The same can be said when comparing film and theatre.

When considering the exaggerated performances of theatre actors, it becomes clear that animators must incorporate the same level of exaggeration in their characters. It can certainly be said that the level of exaggeration in an animation can be both too subtle, making the piece seem lifeless, or too extreme, making the piece garish and inevitably unwatchable. Although in the case of Warner Brothers (especially Tex Avery) extreme exaggeration isn’t always a bad thing.